On your left is a long, two-story pale brown brick building with rhythmic arched windows and a neat central roof pediment. Take a peek at your screen to see how this beautiful eighteen forty-two neo-classical facade blends the site's rich history with modern student life.
This is Roskilde Gymnasium, affectionately known by locals as Amtet, or A-i-R. The buildings wrap right around the historic Roskilde Cathedral. Before nineteen sixty-nine, these very walls housed the old cathedral school, but today, they are home to nearly one thousand bright teenagers.
The school champions three big values: community, academics, and diversity. And they absolutely live up to them! A twenty twelve study found that their graduating seniors had the highest grade point average in the entire Zealand region. On top of that, it boasts the highest well-being score of any large high school in all of Denmark. Locals playfully call it the school where all the diverse, artistic, and hippie-spirited kids go, proving that a wonderfully inclusive community really does breed success.
The campus itself acts as a living timeline. The oldest section is the north wing of an old rector's house from the seventeen hundreds. But jump forward a few centuries, and you will find a stunning science building finished in September twenty twelve. That modern addition is a massive, copper-clad, elliptical structure filled with state-of-the-art labs. Students actually love that the campus buildings are spread out, because a simple walk to class lets them experience both the deep weight of history and a vibrant, cutting-edge modern atmosphere.
The students and teachers even team up to produce a cleverly named school magazine called A-i-R-condition about six times a year, mixing academics with all the latest campus buzz.
As a working school, the buildings are open from seven forty-five AM to five PM Monday through Friday, and closed on the weekends. The brilliant energy here almost makes me want to repeat high school all over again. Whenever you feel ready, we can take a pleasant walk over to our next stop.
